


Day 5: Witches

by ZephyrOfAllTrades



Series: Spooky Time Stories [5]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Ficlet, Human AU, M/M, Male Witches, Witch Burning, males accused as witches, mention of suicide, or more accurately, witch hanging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27177625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZephyrOfAllTrades/pseuds/ZephyrOfAllTrades
Summary: Heed the tags.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Spooky Time Stories [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983229
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24
Collections: Racket’s 13 Days of Halloween





	Day 5: Witches

**Author's Note:**

> This is not so much the typical horror, but one thing's for sure, I made myself sad. Sorry in advance.

The ropes dug into his skin, but Anthony made no protestations. His death had passed even before the flames began their dance at his feet. His life, his happiness, his love was left dangling at the gallows. They were sinners, true. But not witches. They played no game with Satan and his horde. Perhaps his soul was meant for Hell, but not his angel’s.

He had met no one as devout as Aziraphale. No one as righteous. No one as kind. And yet there he swings.

He heard the wood by his feet crack from the heat. He was numb to it all. His eyes roamed the crowd. People swearing, calling for his end. Rejoicing at his demise. ‘For what?’ he asked the curling smoke. In a beat, by some magic or his own imagination, it formed the visions he sought.

His own farm with crops a-plenty. And his envious neighbor who tarried at the market instead of working his own fields.

A woman fatigued after childbirth, Aziraphale congratulating her success. The fear in her eyes and those of the midwives tangible to witness a man profess to save a life doomed from the start, and following through in his rescue.

The local cattle falling ill from hunger and dropping dead as their owners refused to let the animals graze in his bountiful fields out of spite.

A basket of bread, seemingly inexhaustible, slung around a pale man’s arms as he went from house to house to feed the needy. Aziraphale had bought the flour himself and spent the early morn kneading and baking to make sure he had more than enough for his rounds. A fact that left the town officials scowling at the sides, keeping a tight hold on their coin purses.

A lingering kiss. But no one but the pale moon and God had witnessed that, at least.

The red-head cried as a tongue of fire flared and singed his calves. The visions had blurred and replaced once more with the sneering faces of the onlookers. He closed his eyes shut. ‘Remember Aziraphale. Only Aziraphale,’ he chanted in his head. Those soft smiles. The piercing eyes. That last silent farewell before he jumped from the chair himself ahead of the executioner yanking it from under him.

Anthony cackled. Bastard until the end, his angel was. He laughed once more, effectively masking the screams clawing at his throat. The searing pain was like water flowing from his ankles upwards. It was torture but it would soon be his release.

He felt his flesh crack and sizzle, the smell of burnt meat permeating the air. He felt his time nearing, and smiled. His heaven is with his angel, and he knew his angel would be waiting for him.

He coughed as he took a large breath. He ignored his aching lungs and began to recite in as loud a voice as he could muster.

_“Our father in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,_

_Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,_

_On earth as it is in Heaven….”_

His voice grew stronger as each line fell from his bloody lips and all around the men and women gaped. The ‘Amen’ rang with conviction and the guilt coursed through them all. When finally they roused themselves to save the man, he had already departed.

**Author's Note:**

> You can also read this on my [Tumblr.](https://zephyrofalltrades.tumblr.com/post/632778507018207232/day-5-witches)
> 
> The next will be a fluffy one, I promise.


End file.
